The Arab world’s revolutions have exposed the moral bankruptcy of France’s foreign policy.

BY ERIC PAPE | FEBRUARY 25, 2011

COMMENTS (14) Masonic Gestures: Hand on Shoulder, Hand in Jacket Breast The year in French foreign policy began rather well, with a feeling of a fresh start as the new minister of foreign affairs, Michèle Alliot-Marie, returned home rejuvenated from her Christmas holiday to provide renewed strength and focus at the Quai d’Orsay, the home of the ministry. As it turned out, neither her return, nor the vacation itself were such a great idea.

Two months into 2011, the transformation of North Africa has exposed a slew of moral failings in French policy in the Arab world, and raised a flurry of questions about Alliot-Marie’s ethics, judgment, and veracity. By Feb. 27, Alliot-Marie was gone, replaced in a cabinet reshuffle after less than four months in office. The rest of the French diplomatic corps is increasingly turning on the president as his Middle East policy continues to disintegrate.

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Sarkozy, in a mea culpa of sorts, recently explained that France did not take “full measure of the hopelessness” [...]]]>

Without Egypt’s Mubarak and with relations with Turkey in shambles, Israel will be forced to court new potential allies.

By Aluf Benn

Wikipedia: Suzanne Mubarak, Honorary President of Rotary Clubs of Egypt, has received the Paul Harris Fellowship Award several times. Her son Gamal Mubarak, said to be his father’s successor as the next president of Egypt, is also an Honorary Rotarian.

The fading power of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s government leaves Israel in a state of strategic distress. Without Mubarak, Israel is left with almost no friends in the Middle East; last year, Israel saw its alliance with Turkey collapse.

From now on, it will be hard for Israel to trust an Egyptian government torn apart by internal strife. Israel’s increasing isolation in the region, coupled with a weakening United States, will force the government to court new potential allies.

Israel’s foreign policy has depended on regional alliances which have provided the country with strategic depth since the 1950s. The country’s first partner was France, which at the time ruled over northern Africa and provided [...]]]>